Investor and writer of the popular newsletter The Diff, Byrne Hobart, and co-host Erik Torenberg discuss today’s major inflection points in technology, business, and markets – and help listeners build a diversified portfolio of trends and ideas for the future. Topics covered: Finance, Venture Capital, Tech, AI, Crypto, and Industry Cycles The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.co
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E42: Navigating Tech Antitrust and the Future of AI
1:03:15
1:03:15
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:03:15
On this week’s episode of The Riff, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss tricky antitrust decisions, Balaji’s Network State, the dynamics of content moderation, and more. 🔥Apply to join over 400 founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj --- RECOMMENDED PODCASTS: 🎙️1 to 100 | Hypergrowth Companies …
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E41: Meta’s Open Source Strategy, Amazon’s Culture Drift, and What’s Going on With Character.AI
54:40
54:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
54:40
This week, Byrne and Erik discuss Meta’s open source strategy, Google’s hiring of Character.AI’s CEO, the calculus behind the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and more. 🔥Apply to join over 400 founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj --- RECOMMENDED PODCASTS: 🎙️1 to 100 | Hypergrowth Companies Worth Joi…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E40: The Age of the AI Organization
1:05:36
1:05:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:05:36
This week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg are joined by Omar Shams, the founder of Mutable AI, for a deep dive into Omar’s great piece, The AI Organization. In this conversation, they explore the potential of AI to transform organizational productivity, the limitations of financial metrics in GDP, and AI's role in political processes and societal …
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E39: Mental Models and Financial Infrastructure with Patrick McKenzie
1:03:12
1:03:12
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:03:12
This week, Byrne Hobart is joined by Patrick McKenzie (patio11), host of the podcast Complex Systems, to discuss the complexity and endless fascination of financial infrastructures, the role of fraud in finance, talent spotting strategies and the importance of building networks. 🔥Apply to join over 400 founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: …
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E38: Resurgence of Prediction Markets, AI Adoption and Complex Financial Systems
1:01:14
1:01:14
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:01:14
This week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss the resurgence of prediction markets, the balance of sophisticated vs. 'dumb' money, Biden's nomination odds and the impact of AI on software economics. 🔥Apply to join over 400 founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj --- SPONSORS: BABBEL: 🌐 Ready t…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E37: 2024 Election Updates, Partisanship on Wikipedia, and Amazon’s Media Business
59:56
59:56
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
59:56
On this week’s episode of The Riff, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss how the 2024 presidential election has changed, why Wikipedia’s partisanship problem is difficult to solve, and the strategy behind Amazon’s media business. 🔥Apply to join over 400 founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj --…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E36: Meritocracy, Modeling Globalization, and The Burden of Knowledge
1:02:25
1:02:25
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:02:25
This week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg dive deep into David Graeber's controversial concept of 'Bullshit Jobs,' exploring its validity and impact. They also discuss the future of labor and employment in the era of AI, the intricate dynamics of globalization, and the complexities of corporate governance. 🔥Apply to join over 400 founders and exec…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E35: How to Be President, the Future of AI Celebrities, and Training Larger AI Models
1:00:17
1:00:17
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:17
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne discuss the evolution of monetary systems, the economics of AI investments, and how AI is impacting the job market for junior software developers. 🔥Apply to join over 400 founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj --- SPONSORS: BABBEL: 🌐 Ready to achi…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E34: Chamath & Tinder, Threads API, and the Difficulties of Scaling AI Labs
1:04:41
1:04:41
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:04:41
This week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss a lesser-known Chamath Palihapitiya story, the index rebalancing trade as a postmodern part of finance, AI labs, crypto, and more. beehiiv: Head to https://beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months. Byrne Hobart is hiring an associate! Check out the JD here: https://www.the…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E33: AI Therapy, 4chan, and Why Conferences Are Like Cities
1:06:30
1:06:30
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:06:30
This week, writer Byrne Hobart and investor Erik Torenberg discuss the economics of conferences and cities, rise of meme stocks, future of coding in the age of AI and more. beehiiv: Head to https://beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplo…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E32: Populism, Elites, and Preparing for AGI
56:43
56:43
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
56:43
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne discuss populist cycles, why billionaires buy media companies, how to invest if you think AGI is coming soon, and more. beehiiv: Head to https://beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogx…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E31: Google API Documentation Leak, Apple's Plans for Siri, and Analyzing Texas Instruments
46:28
46:28
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
46:28
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne discuss Elon Musk's and Yann Lecun's Tweets, what we can learn from Google's API decumentation leaks, how Apple is planning on improving Siri, and more. beehiiv: Head to https://beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Tu…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E30: xAI Fundraising, Vivek's BuzzFeed Investment, and Ad-Based AI Monetization
1:03:05
1:03:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:03:05
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne talk about xAI's fundraising round, Vivek Ramaswamy's investment in BuzzFeed, and the dynamics of using ads to monetize AI. beehiiv: Head to https://beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmp…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E29: Meme Stocks, Reserve Currencies, and the Case Against Home Ownership
1:07:19
1:07:19
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:07:19
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne talk about meme stocks, the nature of reserve currencies, and why you should consider not owning a home in America. beehiiv: Head to https://beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E28: Amazon’s Potential for an Airline, Hidden Economic Gains, and the Nature of Equities
1:03:04
1:03:04
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:03:04
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne talk about Amazon’s potential to buy a passenger airline, hidden economic gains, equities, and more. beehiiv: Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/t…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E27: Costco's Business Model, Martingale Strategies, and Usage-Based Lock-in for AI
52:37
52:37
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
52:37
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne talk about how to apply Costco's business model in other industries, the risky business of Martingale strategies, usage as a potential barrier to AI model development, and more. Get Harmonic: Head to https://bit.ly/harmonicturpentine and make sure to mention Turpentine during your demo. --- This sh…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E26: Stripe's Unbundling Strategy, What AI Means for Education, and 24-Hour Markets
1:05:20
1:05:20
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:05:20
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne discuss AI & education, Stripe's shift towards unbundling, and the possibility of 24 hour markets. Get Harmonic: Head to https://bit.ly/harmonicturpentine and make sure to mention Turpentine during your demo. --- This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, cov…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E25: Lambda School Drama, Meta's Path to AI, and Why Hardware Constraints Protect Your Privacy
1:09:26
1:09:26
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:09:26
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne discuss income sharing agreements, the privacy/security/usability efficient frontier, and how Meta ended up with all their GPUs. Get Harmonic: Head to https://bit.ly/harmonicturpentine and make sure to mention Turpentine during your demo. --- This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcas…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E24: Why Acquisitions Fail, How to Write a Great Memo, and The Fate of ChatGPT Wrappers
1:05:55
1:05:55
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:05:55
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne discuss the acquisition landscape, how to write great business memos, and why it's hard to monetize a successful ChatGPT wrapper. Get Harmonic: Head to https://bit.ly/harmonicturpentine and make sure to mention Turpentine during your demo. --- This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podca…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E23: Hard Tech Pivots, Potato Investing, and When to Enforce the Law
58:56
58:56
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
58:56
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne discuss pivots in hard tech, cybersecurity and privacy, and the considerations in how often to enforce the law. For listeners watching the video, please note that Erik’s video recording dropped out towards the end of the episode. We hope you enjoy the conversation nonetheless. --- This show is prod…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E22: Corporate Espionage, Algorithmic Collusion, and Transitioning through AI
1:00:38
1:00:38
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:38
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne delve into corporate espionage, algorithmic collusion, and the lifecycle of companies amidst technological changes. --- This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and e…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E21: Austin Real Estate, Duolingo’s Bull Case, and Identifying Spurious Correlations
1:08:11
1:08:11
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:08:11
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne discuss Austin real estate, why Duolingo has remained strong post-pandemic, and how to identify spurious correlations during data analysis. --- This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E20: Content Moderation, AI in Advertising, and the Future of Social Security
1:00:18
1:00:18
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:18
In this episode, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss how technological changes influence markets and business adaptability. They explore the dynamics and challenges of e-commerce roll-ups, the unique economic incentives of large platforms like Facebook and Google, the complexities of content moderation on social media platforms, and social secu…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E19: Hedging Against Life, Outage Economics, and Open Source vs Proprietary AI
1:07:11
1:07:11
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:07:11
On today’s episode, Byrne Hobart delves into the intricacies of technology-induced market shifts, hedge fund dynamics, Byrne’s post on outage economics, and the evolving landscape of open source and proprietary AI models. --- This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and cultur…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E18: Tiger Global, Selling Alpha, and Dating Apps
1:07:31
1:07:31
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:07:31
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne discuss lessons about Tiger Global from Carrie Sun’s book Private Equity, the role of alternative data in investing, and why it’s hard to make a good dating app. --- The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.co --- Check out Erik's new showRequest for Startupsfeat…
…
continue reading
Byrne and Erik discuss company valuations, short selling, company earnings guidance, market predictions, and the behavior of companies and investors in financial markets. --- The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: https://turpentine.co --- Check out Erik's new show Request for Startups featuring a rotating cast of founder…
…
continue reading
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne discuss the fertility crisis, how Walmart is a tool of upward mobility, AI as the last interface, and more. The Riff is sponsored by Brave. Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “MoZ” when signing up for a 25% discount on your first campaign. --- The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podc…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E15: Understanding Real Estate with Brad Hargreaves
1:04:05
1:04:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:04:05
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne sit down with Brad Hargreaves, founder of General Assembly and Common and editor at real estate publication Thesis Driven. They do a deep dive on everything real estate, from investing to housing policy to urbanism. The Riff is sponsored by Brave. Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “M…
…
continue reading
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne do a deep dive on the history of media, how technology is impacting the media landscape, and how to build the next media empire. The Riff is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period. --- The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: https…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E13: Corporate Mortality, Momentum Investing, and Learning From Extreme Events
52:21
52:21
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
52:21
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne discuss the mortality of corporations, why momentum investing works, and when to learn from extreme events. The Riff is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period. --- The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: https://turpentine.co --- …
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E12: How Silicon Valley Became Financially Literate
51:10
51:10
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
51:10
On this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne discuss factor netural hedge funds, the trend of Silicon Valley becoming more financially literate, the opportunity cost of features, and more. The Riff is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period. --- The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Le…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E11: What Byrne Hobart Thinks about Nearly Everything (Part Two)
2:32:30
2:32:30
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
2:32:30
This week's episode is the second part of Erik's March 2020 interview with Byrne on Venture Stories from Village Global. Erik and Byrne about generalists vs specialists, how the work of Rene Girard can be used to understand financial bubbles, the role of pseudonyms, why duopolies exist, and more. The Riff is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.co…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E10: Prediction markets are a trillion dollar opportunity. Why aren’t they working yet?
57:05
57:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
57:05
This week on The Riff, Erik and Byrne talk about why you should ignore the 2024 presidential election news cycle, the barriers to the success of prediction markets, why the United States can't be a net exporter, and more. The Riff is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period. --- The Riff is a part of the Tur…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E9: What Byrne Hobart Thinks About Nearly Everything
2:06:50
2:06:50
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
2:06:50
Today's episode is a throwback to when Erik interviewed Byrne Hobart for the first time on the Venture Stories by Village Global podcast. Byrne and Erik go deep on technological change, debate centralization versus decentralization, discuss mental models for financial bubbles, and examine human nature from the lens of different thinkers. The Riff i…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E8: Antitrust, the Future of Competition, and Higher Education
1:03:15
1:03:15
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:03:15
This week, writer Byrne Hobart and investor Erik Torenberg discuss the failed acquisition of Figma by Adobe, a deep dive on antitrust, Byrne's take on higher education and viable alternatives, unions, and more. The Riff is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period. --- The Riff is a part of the Turpentine pod…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E7: OpenAI updates, macro predictions, and why McDonald’s is a software company
58:45
58:45
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
58:45
This week, writer Byrne Hobart and investor Erik Torenberg discuss new updatates from OpenAI, Byrne's macroeconomic predictions, the importance of software for Microsoft, and more. Moment of Zen is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period. --- The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more:…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E6: How Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett beat the market
1:02:58
1:02:58
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:02:58
This week, writer Byrne Hobart and investor Erik Torenberg discuss the lessons to be learned from the life of the late Charlie Munger. They explore what made Munger a great investor, how he was different from Warren Buffett, and where to find the next Munger today. --- The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.co …
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E5: Hedge Funds, VC, and Finding Alpha
1:18:24
1:18:24
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:18:24
In our 5th episode of The Riff, writer Byrne Hobart and investor Erik Torenberg are joined by Thomas Li, the CEO of Daloopa for a deep dive into the world of hedge funds. They discuss what venture capitalists may not know about hedge funds, what most people get wrong, crowding, and risk management. The conversation also touches on the role of the y…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E4: A Closer Look at Demographics, Dating, and Globalization
1:10:01
1:10:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:10:01
In our 4th episode of The Riff, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss the complex interplay of technology, economic growth, demographics and investment decisions and the socio-technological implications of dating apps on society. They also debate the impact of political leaders' policies on capital markets, focusing specifically on the comparison…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E3: Sam Altman, the Microsoft Bull Case, OpenAI and AI Live Players
56:40
56:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
56:40
In our third episode of The Riff, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss the evolving story of Sam Altman’s ousting at OpenAI and new home at Microsoft, what OpenAI's next pivot could look like, the new competitive landscape for the big AI players, and Effective Altruism’s role in this drama. -- We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for …
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E2: OpenAI, Investing Bets, and Social Media Paradigms
57:14
57:14
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
57:14
In our second episode of The Riff, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss the role and influence of companies like OpenAI, AI investment opportunities, the whitespace in the future of social media models, and turning cloud networks into real communities. The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.co - We're hiring…
…
continue reading
![Artwork](/static/images/128pixel.png)
1
E1: Psychoanalyzing SBF, Crypto Markets, and Byrne's Biggest Influences
59:28
59:28
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
59:28
In our first episode of The Riff, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss Byrne's writing for his newsletter The DIff, his biggest influences, and the fall of Sam Bankman-Fried. The Riff is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.co -- We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects …
…
continue reading